Lessons on How to Conduct a Youth Choir at Church
Church choirs are common elements in churches of various denominations. Many churches across the United States (and the world) have youth choirs, where young people learn and perform spiritual songs in front of church. As the youth choir director, you are the head of the choir and are responsible for conducting the choir during church, among other duties. Practicing proper conducting technique is particularly important for youth choirs, as young people may not be as confident as an adult who has sang for many years.
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Instructions
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Choose a song that is appropriate for the youth choir. If the youth choir is small, choose music written in unison or two parts. Large youth choirs can handle music that requires a fuller sound --- two-, three- and four-part songs. Also, take into account the ability of the singers in your choir when picking songs.
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Learn the preparatory beats for the song the choir will sing. The preparatory beats are the first few beats before the song starts. Use your arms to count off and set the preparatory beat. Choir members depend on you to set the tempo, dynamics and emotion before beginning a song. Therefore, if the song requires mellow tones, convey warmth and emotion when starting the preparatory beat. If the song requires gusto, your preparatory beat movement should reflect this requirement.
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Maintain eye contact and use facial expressions to encourage the choir. For example, smile to signal to choir members that they should smile. When a song ends, show your approval with a smile, nod or other sign of affirmation.
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Conduct the choir with your arms. Use both arms for preparatory beats and downbeats. Keep conducting with both arms for a full measure. Then, drop your left arm to your side. Use both arms again for cutoffs, repeats, and slowing or speeding up the beat.
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References
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